Adding an EV charger to your Adelaide solar system

Why EV + solar maths is so good in Adelaide

An average Australian EV uses 12-18 kWh per 100 km driven. The average Adelaide driver covers 14,000 km per year, so EV electricity consumption is roughly 1,750-2,500 kWh per year - about 5-7 kWh per day on average.

Charging from grid power at 42-45c per kWh: $735-$1,125 per year.

Charging from solar exports at 6c per kWh: $105-$150 per year (the rebate value of what you would have exported).

Net saving from solar EV charging: $630-$975 per year per vehicle.

If you currently fuel a petrol car at $1.85/L and 8 L/100 km: $2,072 per year. Solar EV charging cuts that to ~$130. Saving $1,940 per year.

How to set it up

1. Size your solar system to cover your EV consumption. Add 1.5-2 kW of additional solar capacity to cover daily EV charging (5-7 kWh).
2. Choose an EV charger that supports solar-only or solar-prioritised charging modes. Popular options in Adelaide: Tesla Wall Connector ($800-$1,200 installed), Wallbox Pulsar Plus ($1,500-$2,200 installed), EO Mini Pro ($1,800-$2,400), Zappi (UK brand, $2,200-$3,000 installed).
3. Wire the charger to a dedicated circuit (typically 32A single-phase or 22A three-phase). This is electrician work; expect $400-$1,000 of additional cabling and switchboard work.
4. Set the charger to start at solar peak (10am-2pm) and stop when solar generation drops.

Charging without a battery

The EV essentially becomes your battery. Solar generation flows directly into the EV during the day. If you typically work from home, you can park and charge from solar. If you commute, set the charger to a slow charge (16A single-phase) and stretch the charge across the full solar window when you're home on weekends.

Charging with a battery

The EV competes with the house battery for stored solar. Most charger / inverter combinations let you prioritise battery first (for evening use) and divert excess to EV. Or prioritise EV first and let the house draw from grid in the evening. The configuration depends on your usage pattern.

Three-phase EV chargers

Some EVs (Tesla Model 3 / Y from 2021+, Polestar, BMW i4 / iX, BYD) accept 22 kW three-phase charging. This requires three-phase power at your property AND a 22 kW three-phase charger. Charging speed: 100 km range per hour. Not necessary for daily use - 7 kW single-phase covers most overnight or daytime needs.

When NOT to charge from solar

• Wet weather long stretches - charge from off-peak grid overnight (cheaper than peak if you have time-of-use).
• Need range fast - public DC fast charger.
• House battery is full but you also need overnight EV charge - charge from battery overnight instead of solar daytime.

How we help

Our enquiry form asks about EV ownership or plans. The matched installer should include EV charger options in the system design. Most quality installers offer combined solar + EV charger packages, sometimes with bundled installer discounts.